MacNeil family denies smoking on airplane

SYDNEY — The Mabou family that has undergone intense media and public scrutiny after a Sunwing flight was diverted has issued a statement through their Ontario-based lawyer.

The statement, released by Michael Haraschuk, a lawyer with Weaver Simmons LLP of Sudbury, Ont., specifically mentions smoking, which was alleged to have occurred on the flight.

“On the issue of smoking, there has been misinformation regarding whether members of the MacNeil family were smoking on the airplane,” the statement reads. “At no point did any member of the MacNeil family smoke on the air plane. At the honourable magistrates court of Bermuda, there was a single smoking charge alleging that David MacNeil Jr. was smoking in the lavatory of the airplane. David MacNeil Jr. entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of smoking on the airplane and the charge was dismissed."

It also states there has been “a great deal of information released about this incident that will be clarified in the fullness of time and in the proper forum.”

The Post tried to contact Haraschuk and the family for their side of the story, but neither have returned calls.

A Sunwing flight headed to the Dominican Republic was diverted to Bermuda due to an onboard incident involving three members of the family on Friday, Feb. 1. They appeared in a Bermuda court on Monday with David MacNeil, 54, pleading guilty to behaving in a disorderly manner by using abusive and offensive language on the flight. His wife, Darlene, 52, pleaded guilty to disobeying a lawful order by a flight attendant. Both were fined $500 each.

Their son David MacNeil Jr., 22, pleaded not guilty to a charge of disobeying a lawful order regarding smoking and that charge was dismissed because of a lack of evidence.

A spokesman from Sunwing has said the company plans to sue the family to recover the costs associated with the unscheduled landing and keeping the passengers overnight in Bermuda, a figure estimated to be around $50,000.